The government is set to sign the Bangladesh-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (BJEPA) with one of the largest trading partners, aiming to further strengthen bilateral economic relations between the two countries. The BJEPA also aims to ensure continued duty-free access of Bangladeshi products to the Japanese market after the country’s graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category. The agreement is intended to expand bilateral trade and investment, enhance investor confidence, and attract long-term Japanese investment in Bangladesh.
It encompasses a wide range of sectors, including trade in goods and services, customs duties, investment, trade facilitation, and intellectual property rights. As an LDC, Bangladesh will sign an Economic Partnership Agreement for the first time with Japan, the world’s fourth-largest economy, said a press release, reports BSS.
As part of the initial phase of negotiations, a Joint Study Group (JSG) formed by the two countries jointly published its report on December 27, 2023, recommending a comprehensive negotiation framework covering 17 sectors. To formally commence negotiations, Bangladesh and Japan made a joint announcement on March 12, 2024. Considering the agreement’s significance for Bangladesh’s economic growth, the interim government began priority-based work from November 2024, setting an ambitious target to complete the agreement within one year. In preparation, multiple consultations were held with relevant stakeholders on both sector-specific issues and the overall agreement. Following the agreed workplan, the EPA text was finalized through seven rounds of negotiations. The direct involvement of Commerce Adviser Sk.
Bashir Uddin and the Chief Adviser’s Special Envoy for International Affairs, Lutfey Siddiqi, played a pivotal role in accelerating the negotiation process.
They chaired several inter-ministerial meetings and held multiple rounds of high-level discussions during official visits to Japan, engaging directly with their ministerial-level counterparts. These initiatives underscored Bangladesh’s strong commitment to finalizing the agreement and highlighted the strategic importance of the EPA.
Upon entry into force, 7,379 Bangladeshi products will enjoy immediate duty-free access to the Japanese market from the first day of signing. In return, Japan will receive immediate duty-free access for 1,039 products in the Bangladeshi market. Notably, Bangladesh’s key export items-particularly readymade garments (RMG)-will gain duty-free access to Japan from day one. The RMG sector will also benefit from the Single Stage Transformation facility.
thereby ushering in a new phase in Bangladesh-Japan economic relations.
Japan has expressed its intention to sign the agreement on February 6, 2026. The proposal to sign the Bangladesh-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (BJEPA) received approval from the Advisers Council at its meeting held on Thursday. At the meeting, all members congratulated the Commerce Adviser, the Secretary concerned, and all officials involved in the successful conclusion of the negotiations.
